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The Return to Africa and other Diplomatic Efforts: Mohamed VI's Foreign Policy
Abstract
The Return to Africa and other Diplomatic Efforts: Mohamed VI's Foreign Policy This paper highlights aspects of Morocco's' foreign policy under king Mohamed VI. It presents a comprehensive portrait of several new diplomatic efforts spearheaded by the king, focusing on their emergence, ongoing development, and broader influences on Morocco's foreign relations. Beyond gaining greater familiarity with current developments surrounding Moroccan diplomacy, this study explores the impact of these developments on Moroccan domestic affairs and wider identity under Mohamed VI. This paper charts central features of Morocco's foreign policy over the past two decades. Throughout the early years of king Mohamed's reign, Moroccan diplomacy was marked by continuity with the past. But over the past ten years, discernible patterns of change have emerged. These are an outcome of shifting global and regional politics, and efforts to revitalize longstanding Moroccan diplomatic priorities. While the traditional pivots of Moroccan diplomacy-efforts to secure international support for Morocco's rule over the Western Sahara region, solidify ties with its traditional western allies, and foster economic cooperation with other countries- all remain intact, several noticeable breakthroughs have occurred during the king’s second decade in power. The most significant of them is Morocco's return to the African Union in 2017 and its expanded engagement with African countries. Another aspect of Moroccan diplomacy under Mohamed VI is an effort to promote the kingdom's image as a moderate, tolerant, and accepting country against the backdrop of an increasingly radical region hostile to western and other influences. These diplomatic efforts are intertwined with domestic initiatives, such as the 2011 constitutional amendments that underscored Morocco's pluralism. The paper discusses these developments and explores their impact on Moroccan society. Finally, this paper assesses Moorcco's ability to promote its traditional diplomatic objectives within these new or renewed arenas. Sources for this paper include official documents and statements concerning Moroccan diplomacy, published interviews with its leading figures, and studies of recent Moroccan diplomatic initiatives and their reflections within domestic public life. Moving beyond obtaining a better understanding of Morocco’s current diplomatic affairs and their regional impact, this paper adds alternative perspectives to the study of Mohamed VI’s reign, expanding the contours of the debate surrounding this topic.
Discipline
Political Science
Geographic Area
Morocco
Sub Area
Maghreb Studies